Manon Fiorot takes on the returning Rose Namajunas in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 226 this weekend from the Accor Arena in Paris, France.
Fiorot has earned the No. 2 spot in the flyweight division, and she’s looking to add a feather to her cap by turning Namajunas’ arrival to the division into a nightmare.
UFC odds have labeled Fiorot the favorite at -185, with ex-champ Namajunas a +154 underdog. Here are my free picks for Fiorot vs. Namajunas at UFC Fight Night from Paris.
Fiorot vs Namajunas fight odds
Fiorot vs Namajunas method of victory odds
| Method of Victory | Manon Fiorot | Rose Namajunas |
|---|---|---|
| To win by KO/TKO/DQ | +275 | +1,100 |
| To win by decision | +130 | +300 |
| To win by submission | +2,500 | +700 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook on September 2, 2023.
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Fiorot vs Namajunas picks
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Fiorot vs Namajunas betting preview
Manon Fiorot has a professional record of 10-1 and finds herself as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the flyweight division. , Fiorot has stoppage wins over Victoria Leonardo and Tabatha Ricci, and decision wins over solid contenders Mayra Bueno Silva and Jennifer Maia since joining the UFC in 2019. Fiorot dominated Kaitlyn Chookagian in her last fight, winning a decision and looking good against a fighter who makes everyone look ugly.
Fiorot has a black belt in Karate and a strong amateur background in Muay Thai, working primarily as a striker. She lands 6.58 significant strikes per minute and defends 71% of attempted significant strikes against her, while also landing 1.69 takedowns at 50% accuracy. Six of her 10 wins have been stoppages, and she’ll come into this fight with a size and height advantage over her opponent
“Thug” Rose Namajunas is a former two-time strawweight champion with a record of 12-5. Namajunas has notable wins over Zhang Weili, Jessica Andrade, and Joanna Jedzejczyk and has been a top fighter at strawweight for a long time. Namajunas looked terrible in her last outing and couldn’t pull the trigger in defeat to Carla Esparza at UFC 274.
Like Fiorot, Namajunas is a striker, but she can make things happen on the ground when the opportunity presents itself. She lands 3.66 significant strikes per minute and defends against 60% of strikes attempted on her. On the ground, Namajunas has similar numbers to Fiorot with 1.61 takedowns at 57% accuracy, though Namajunas has five submission wins. This will be her debut in the flyweight division and her first fight in almost 16 months.
Fiorot vs Namajunas tale of the tape
| Manon Fiorot | Rose Namajunas | |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Age | 31 |
| 5-foot-7 | Height | 5-foot-5 |
| 125 lbs | Weight | 115 lbs |
| 65 inches | Reach | 65 inches |
| 10-1 (6 KO) | Record | 11-5 (2 KO) |
Fiorot vs Namajunas UFC prediction and best bet
Fight prediction: Fiorot ML
For how good Namajunas is when she is 100% dialed in, this is a tough fight for her. Fiorot is a tremendous striker with good wrestling to boot, and she’ll have a size advantage being the natural flyweight. Namajunas’ best features were her height and length, which helped her shimmy in and out of her opponents’ range — but that won’t help her here.
Namajunas simply isn’t at her best and seemed gunshy against Esparza. When you combine her recent form and couple the fact that she’s been out of action for 16 months and now has to face a tremendous fighter in a new weight class, it doesn’t look good for Namajunas. Her best route is taking Fiorot down and trying to work in a submission, but that’s easier said than done.
Fiorot is not only going to be fresher out the gate, but she’ll look stronger and get her shots off faster than Namajunas. There won’t be a next chapter for “Thug Rose,” only the typical epilogue for fighters that try to convince themselves they have something left. I’m taking Fiorot to leave her hometown fans happy with a win.
Prediction: Fiorot moneyline (-185 at DraftKings)
Fight best bet: Fiorot by decision
Fiorot has all the tools she’ll need to win. While I wouldn’t put it past Namajunas to give it a go, the most likely outcome is that Fiorot beats her up to force a stoppage or wins a dominant decision.
The size and output from Fiorot is too much for Namajunas to handle. If she remains overly conservative like we saw against Esparza, she might not put up much of a fight at all. The odds are being kind to Namajunas based on her reputation and credentials, but this trip up the scales will only result in disappointment.
I expect Namajunas to get out of the first round, barely, but Fiorot will work her over to potentially have the doctor or her corner intervene. This could end up a late stoppage or a dominant decision win for Fiorot, and I’ll give Namajunas the benefit of the doubt that she'll hear the final bell.
I’m going with Fiorot by decision as my best bet.
Pick: Fiorot to win by decision (+130 at DraftKings)
